Track-circuit connector



(No Model.)

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr. TRACK GIRGUIT CONNECTOR.

V UNITED STATES PATENT Grinch;

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, .JR., OF PITTSBURG, PESNSYLVANIA.

TRACK-CIRCUIT CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,250, dated. July31,,1883 Application filed May 26,1886. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTING- HoUsE, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, re-' sidin g at Pittsburg, county of Allegheny, State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvementin Track-Gircuit Connectors; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification,which illustrates by a perspective view my improved circuit-connectorapplied as in use to make electrical connection between two consecutiverails of a track,

My present invention relates to that class of connectors in whichcontact is secured by driving pins or equivalent pieces of metal into asuitable holes drilled in the rails; and, in general terms, it consistsof i a continuous or unbroken rod or wire bent near its ends, form- 'ingshoulders for driving the ends into holes in the rails, and also beingcoiled or bent near each such end or shoulder for the purpose ofrelieving the endsfrom the effects of vibratory or other movements, andfor maintaining the intermediate part of the rod in apresent inventionis designed for application either to the inside or outside of thetrack,

and the connecting-rod is disposed or arranged with reference toprotection from injury by persons working on the track.

In the drawing, A A represent portions of two'consecutive rails of atrack united bysplice-bar B and bolts b b. In making electricalconnection between such rails I make use of a continuous or unbroken rodor wire, 0, of iron, steel, or other suitable metal, which is bent at ornear each end nearly at right angles, forming shoulders c 0 by which theends 0 may be driven into suitable holes, aa,

made in the rails. Also,close to each shoulder c the rod or wire is bentor coiled with one or more folds or convolutions, as at c c, the

purpose of which is to provide for separation and contaction betweenrails; also, for neutralizing the effect upon the ends 0 of the variousvibratory and other movements to which both.

the rails and the connector are subjected, and

also for holding the part of the connector beat its ends tightly aroundand soldered tothe pins. Such a connection is good, and answers thepurpose intended so long as it remains inin usetendingto injure ordestroyits efficiency. For example, it is difficult in manufacturing ona large scale to remove all trace of acid employed in soldering the wireto the pins, and any which may remain is active in producing corrosion,usually at and near the point where the wire leaves the pins.

subjected in use to more or less vibratory movement, which acts directlyupon the points of connection with the pins, producing a weakens thewire, and is the occasion of frequent breakage; also, the vibrations ofthe wires and the movements of the rails, acting upon the pins, tend toloosentheni in their holes, and thus impair or destroy the requisitecharacter of contact to insure free passage of electric current. Theseand other likeobjections or difficulties, characteristic of connectorsas heretofore made, are effectually prevented or overcome by my presentimprovement. For example, the ends 0 c are integral parts of the entireconnecting-rod; l consequently there are no solder joints to be made,and no inj ury resulting from the use of acid; also, tor- ,tact; butvarious causes, are found to be active The wire is thus weakened andinjured; also,the wires are q marked tendency to crystallization, Thisalso sional action due to vibratory movement of the rods or wires aresupported, tendency to' crystallization is prevented, the force of thevibrations being distributed through the coils, instead of beingsustained at points of fixed connection, also, provision is made for increasing and reducing the length of the connector as the rails approachor separate under thermal action and under the endwise travel to whichthey are subjected in use. This is secured by the yielding or springaction of the coils c 0, opening or uncoiling under longitudinal strain,and contracting or recoiling as such strain is reduced. Heretoforeprovision has been made for endwise movement of the rails by leavingsome slack in the connecting-wire to be taken up as required; but slackwires are objectionable, because they necessarily or frequently takepositions 011 or beside the rails, where they are exposed to injury byworkmen, and are liable to be broken. In the present invention thissource of trouble is obviated, because the rod or connector is kept tautby the coils, and may be placed and held in a position of comparativesafety, practically out of the way of spikes, hammers, wrenches, &c. Thepreferred position for this purpose is illustrated in the drawingnamely,along the upper face of the rail-foot, within the line of spike-heads onone side and away from the face of the splice-bar 011 the other side.

I do not claim herein, broadly, a connecting wire coiled or bent at somepoint in its length to afford spring action, nor a connecting-rod havingbent ends integral with the interme- I diate portion, the same formingpart of the separate application above referred to. The

present invention has reference more particularly to features ofimprovement which adapt such a connector to special conditions of use,and by which better protection is secured from dangers to which suchconnectors are necessarily exposed.

In preparing the ends c'for insertion in the near its two ends, formingangles or shoulders for driving, and coiled or folded inside of and nearboth such shoulders, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The electric connecting-rod G for railjoints, the same having incombination spring coils c 0 near each end, and having its ends 0 c bentat or near right angles to the plane of 60 the coils, substantially asset forth 3. The rails A A, having holes a a therein, in combinationwith electric connecting-rod C, having bent ends 0, with angles a c",for driving the ends a into the holes a, and having two coils, c c, inthe intermediatepart, one coil near each angle a, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination of rails A A, splice-bar B, bolts 6, and connector 0,the latter having two coils, c c, therein, one near either b'ent end a,and having the connecting portion between coils in line between thebolt-nuts and the outer edge of the rail-joint, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. \VESTINGHOUSE, JR;

\Vitnesses O. L. PARKER,

R. H. WHITTLESEY.

